ATL

Who is eligible to join?

Membership of ATL is open to all those who are involved in the delivery of education to pupils and students, from early years through to further and higher education.

Standard membership includes teachers (full-time, part-time and supply), lecturers, head teachers, deputy and assistant head teachers, school bursars, senior heads of department employed in the maintained and independent sectors; and those – such as teaching assistants, HLTAs, nursery nurses, special needs assistants, technicians and librarians/library assistants – who work with them; leaders and managers at all levels working in academies, further education, sixth form and adult education colleges; and managers in universities, training organisations and other areas of the education sector.

ATL members work in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. ATL also has members who work in British service schools abroad, and in the independent sector throughout the UK. Please be aware that professionals who work in any country other than those listed above are ineligible for standard membership.

Whether you work full time or part time, are employed by a teaching or lecturing agency, whether you are training to be a teacher/lecturer, are retired, or are returning to education after a career break, ATL has lots to offer you.

Membership of ATL is organised into the following broad categories:

• student membership - for those who are training to become teachers, lecturers and education support staff

• standard newly qualified membership - for those beginning their career, where they have not previously held a teacher or lecturer position

• standard teaching membership - for teachers and lecturers, including supply and part-time

• standard support staff membership - for teaching assistants, HLTAs, nursery nurses, specials needs assistants, librarians and technicians, and those working in the education sector who are not directly involved in the delivery of education, such as administrative staff, receptionists and secretaries

• AMiE membership – for head teachers, deputy and assistant head teachers, members of senior leadership teams including school business managers and bursars, leaders and managers at all levels in academies, further education, sixth form and adult education colleges

• associate membership - for those involved in education but not requiring support relating to their current employment

• retired membership - for teachers, lecturers and support staff who have retired and who are in receipt of pension. Retired membership is only available to existing members transferring to retired membership. 

Please read our terms and conditions.

For full information on eligibility

If you are not sure whether you are eligible, please contact our recruitment hotline on 0845 057 7000 (local rates apply) or email our membership department.

Need more help?

If you haven't found the answer to your membership query on the page above, you can contact our membership team on tel: 020 7782 1602 (Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm), or you can email us. If you are an ATL member, please have your membership number to hand when telephoning and include it with any correspondence - this will help us to answer your query more quickly.